Turbotax vs Turbotax

[jazz4cash]

Switched from $20 HR Block to $50 TT this year. It imported my old files but only recognizes pdf version. Then it immediately starts asking questions about last years return Lots of minor bugs. Wish I’d stuck with Block.

 

[timo2]

I just finished using the downloaded version of turbotax. It was very buggy, it kept crashing and would automatically start back up. I had to save each page before hitting the continue button. I finally made it through by using a combination of forms and step by step. Luckily I have very simple taxes. The last two years I used the web version. I was not happy with the web version access to the raw forms compared to the downloaded version, so I wanted to use the download version again. I ended up using the web version two years ago because the downloaded version in 2019 was so buggy it wouldn't work at all. TT help was stumped so they let me use the web version. I am pondering if TT is blowing off their downloaded version to focus on the web version, and push their customers to the web version?

 

[target2019]

I've used TT (TurboTax), the download version, on PC for about 10 years. For at least 20 years I've used Intuit Pro Series, which works similarly to TT.

TT download has What-If worksheet and other features I'm too lazy to look up. One important thing is that the data is backed up on my computer. And I can import the file to Pro Series next year, if/when necessary. Some day this will probably happen when I can't complete the return due to incompetence or M-I-A.

I've never used the phone app or web version. I feel very constrained when leaving an application/program for other versions. Obviously when you get used to one way of doing things you want to continue in that fashion.

Something I suspect is that as people age and no longer have access to IT help (friends, work, and so on) it becomes significantly more problematic to maintain a desktop computer, operating system, and applications.

 

[Dash man]

I just finished using the downloaded version of turbotax. It was very buggy, it kept crashing and would automatically start back up. I had to save each page before hitting the continue button. I finally made it through by using a combination of forms and step by step. Luckily I have very simple taxes. The last two years I used the web version. I was not happy with the web version access to the raw forms compared to the downloaded version, so I wanted to use the download version again. I ended up using the web version two years ago because the downloaded version in 2019 was so buggy it wouldn't work at all. TT help was stumped so they let me use the web version. I am pondering if TT is blowing off their downloaded version to focus on the web version, and push their customers to the web version?

I been using the TT downloaded version for years, and I don’t recall it ever being buggy. I do use a Mac version.

 

[ERObjd]

I use turbotax CD as well. Have used it for about a decade, just buy a new one every year and all the data auto populates from one year to the next. We use turbo tax on our old 15 yr old Sony laptop because our tower PC does not have a CD disc drive.

 

[retire48in2018]

FYI - External CD Disk dives that connect to a USB (or whatever ports are open on your computer) are fairly cheap.

I have used a CD version for years as it allows 5 people to use whereas online web version does not. I do not know if there are other differences.

I would suspect that the download is the same as the CD.

 

[AmigaDude]

Yes, Download version is the same as the CD. (I've been a looong time user of both, switching each year based on what I can get for less $$)

I updated a (~ 7yr old) PC to Win10 and TTax has never had any issues like timo2, so no idea what is happening there.

 

[easysurfer]

I'm old fashioned and use the program on CD.

 

[GTFan]

Nice thing about TT web version is that it's part of IRS Free file, so if your AGI is $39k or less you can file both fed and state for free. I've used it for years and never had an issue.

 

[Souschef]

FYI - External CD Disk dives that connect to a USB (or whatever ports are open on your computer) are fairly cheap.

I have used a CD version for years as it allows 5 people to use whereas online web version does not. I do not know if there are other differences.

I would suspect that the download is the same as the CD.

I had an external CD drive left over from my last PC, and it was about $15.
I just bought a new laptop and wanted to load Office on it. I had the CD, so I just plugged the CD drive in and loaded it. No problem

 

[pdxgal]

The software hasn't been perfect but I am sure it saves me money over using a paid accountant. I am doing more tax research in order to keep up with the past couple of years changes. Often it is my lack of knowledge, not the software that has me miss opportunities.

It's the lack of knowledge that's tricky, but sometimes the software too. I switched to a CPA a couple years when my situation got complicated. Still do TT first though to ballpark what I'll owe and pay up front, file later. Last year my CPA had me owing less tax than what TT said. I analyzed the differences line by line.

One key difference was CPA deducted the remaining points on my rental property mortgage using the Section 179 deduction, rather than amortizing. When I tried to replicate this in TT it wouldn't let me do it! Said it wasn't possible based on the property type (residential real estate). So I would have to override TT to make it happen. FWIW I experienced similar issues when filing our trust taxes a while back. Discovered there are "gray areas" of tax code interpretation. TT may interpret one way, and a CPA (or you) another. In those cases you have to override TT.

Using the CPA for now is saving me money, I believe. And it's instructive to reverse engineer the way he does some things to further my own understanding for the future, when at some point I'll probably revert to doing my own taxes.

 

[Splash]

I have never used the CD version of TT. I used the web version of TT Deluxe for several years and then switched to Taxact 3 or 4 years ago. This year, I thought I would try TT again. I started with TT Deluxe but when importing my VG Brokerage Account 1099, TT would not let me proceed without upgrading to TT Premier. I have always had investment sales but never encountered this before. I backed out of the import and tried to enter the data manually but I still got stopped until I upgraded to Premier. Based on other threads on this site, I believe the Deluxe CD still handles investment sales.

 

[jazz4cash]

I am really struggling with my Turbotax CD. This year for the 1st time our itemized deductions are less than the standard deduction due to loss of SALT deduction and doubling of std deduction. Turbotax chooses standard deduction and that causes our state tax liability to be higher even with less income. There is supposed to be a way to force TT to use itemized deductions which carries over to the state deduction choice and may result in lower combined liability. The problem now is that TT instructions to force using itemized deductions dont work. This issue is reported by several users. First we had to pay more due to limit on the SALT deduction and now we're paying still more unless we ditch TT. There are many other things I hate about this software but I'm not going into that now.

 

[jazz4cash]

Turbotax vs Turbotax is the Right Thread Title

I guess the online and CD/download versions of TT are quite different. A lot of the info being thrown around on the official TT blogs does not specify which version of the software the advice pertains to. I did find how to force TT to use itemized deductions:
TT default (standard deduction):Federal refund of $878 with $363 due to state ($515 net refund)
TT forced to Itemized deductions: Federal refund of $532 and State refund of $955 ($1487 net refund)
Overall combined tax liability reduction of $972!
YAY ME!!!

 

[l8_apex]

Warning - TT CD versus web: whichever you choose, I'd suggest sticking with it in subsequent years.

I've usually bought the CD. A few years ago I used the web/online version. The next year I went back to the CD without any thought about it. That year (2017 maybe, I don't exactly remember), I couldn't get the program to find/read last year's returns. A call to their helpdesk eventually revealed that the CD version couldn't access last year's returns. Hopefully that issue has been fixed, but it wasn't that long ago that I ran into it and I don't know if it has been resolved. So I just stick with the CD, particularly since I can get my parent's taxes done without having to pay for a second license.

 

[jazz4cash]

This will be the last time TT sees my return. I’ll be going back to HR Block. There are some very knowledgeable TT experts on their blog but it is not well organized and doesn’t interface well with the CD version. The embedded help tool was almost useless. I ended up using last year’s Block program.